THE THIRD MEDITATION On Indifference to Creatures
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Ignatius, of Loyola, Saint and Coppens, Charles
The third part of the Foundation: “It is therefore necessary that we should make ourselves indifferent to all created things, in so far as it is left to the liberty of our free will to do so, and is not forbidden; in such sort that we do not for our part wish for health rather than sickness, for wealth instead of poverty, for honor rather than dishonor, for a long life rather than a short one, and so in all other things, desiring and choosing only that which most leads us to the end for which we were created.”
1st Prelude. Imagine you see bright Angels standing before the throne of God, waiting to be assigned as guardians to new-born infants; they are perfectly indifferent to take charge of rich or poor children in any part of the world.
2nd Prelude. Ask for a like spirit of perfect indifference to all creatures, caring for God alone and His holy will.
POINT I. Let me ask myself sincerely: am I now fully convinced that I am in this world for no other end than to praise, reverence and serve God, and thereby to save my soul? that I must use creatures only in as far as they conduce to this end? This is right and just, it is highly useful for me; it is necessary, the one thing necessary;—all else is vanity; it passes away in a short time.
“The world’s a stage, and men are only players,
They have their exits and their entrances.”
POINT II. What prevents me from always living up to that conviction? The reason is that I allow myself to be influenced by various predilections and aversions, by my likes and dislikes for certain things. If I were perfectly indifferent, as the Angels are, whose will has perfect control over all their affections, then I would choose on all occasions only what God wills, as far as His will would be known to me. Can I acquire such an indifference? I cannot help feeling an inclination to like or dislike certain things; for it is an effect of the fall of man that our passions often rebel against the spirit. But I can control these promptings to a great extent, and with God’s grace, acquire considerable power over their movements.
To strengthen this habit of control over my various inclinations is the purpose of the present meditation: that is meant by making myself indifferent to all created things.
And still St. Ignatius wisely adds: “In as far as they are allowed me and not forbidden”; lest the uninstructed might imagine that they might lawfully allow disorderly sentiments to arise within them without at once driving them away.
How can I make myself indifferent? By considering the evils connected with the things to which I am inclined, and the good to be derived from those disliked.
POINT III. Let me consider in detail some principal objects to which a man is not naturally indifferent, but he may with God’s grace make himself so.
1. A long life or a short life. For all I know, my eternal salvation may be much better secured if I should die soon than if I live yet many years. It was so with many persons, who were holy in their youth and were afterwards perverted. Therefore the Book of Wisdom says: “He pleased God and was beloved, and living among sinners he was translated. He was taken away lest wickedness should alter his understanding and deceit beguile his soul” (iv, 10, 11). What a blessing it would have been for a Luther or a Henry VIII to have died young. As I do not know what is best for me, I ought in all reason to leave it all to God’s disposal, and make myself indifferent to a long life or a short life.
2. Health or sickness. In comparison with the salvation of my soul the enjoyment of health during this life is of slight importance; and common sense would bid me readily to resign the latter to secure the former. Now God alone knows when this is necessary. We read of a virtuous man in England, who made a pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Thomas a’ Becket to be cured from blindness. He was heard, and returned rejoicing to his home. But he found soon after that the free use of his sight led him into many new temptations. So he returned to the same shrine and begged the Saint that, if it were for his greater spiritual good to be deprived of sight, this might be done rather than that he should fall into mortal sin. The Lord worked this second miracle to show what was really best for him.
3. Riches or poverty. The young man whom the Saviour invited to sell all and give to the poor and then follow Him had not the courage to answer the call, because he was very rich. And Jesus remarked it was difficult for a rich man to save his soul. It is then very wise not to care for riches, but to make one’s self indifferent on this point.
4. Honor rather than dishonor. History is full of examples of men who were virtuous while in an humble station, and who, after being raised to honors, became proud; now a proud man is odious in the sight of God.
5. And so of all other things. Let me ask myself whether there is any point on which I am not indifferent, and then consider how I may bend my mind in the opposite direction; then pray earnestly to our Lord and His Holy Mother to gain indifference to all created things.
POINT IV. Let me consider what will be the good effects of attaining such indifference. They will be:
1. Considerable increase in virtue; for thus my will becomes conformable to the will of God: I thus practise faith in His providence, and confidence in His paternal care of me.
2. Security from many dangers of sin, to which I should have been exposed if I had persisted in controlling my own fortunes.
3. Quiet of mind in the happy thought that God, to whom I abandon myself entirely, will dispose all for the best: “For we know that to them that love God all things work together unto good” (Rom. viii, 28). “Cast thy care upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee” (Ps. 54). “My children, behold the generations of men, and know ye that no one hath hoped in the Lord, and hath been confounded” (Ecclus. ii, 11).
On the other hand those who are not indifferent to the things of earth live in constant agitation of mind, restless in the pursuit of fancied blessings, and disappointed when they fail to obtain them; and, what is still worse, frequently exposed to the danger of sin, sometimes of grievous sin, in their eagerness to obtain their desires, or in their reluctance to do their duty.
Colloquy. Pray earnestly, both during the meditation, when proper desires are aroused in your heart, and especially at the conclusion of the meditation, that you may totally detach your affections from all things created, and obtain the grace of indifference to all creatures.